techUK urges next government to “secure our digital future”

New manifesto calls for appointment of digital ministers in every department and introduction of ‘smart migration’ policy

by Megan Dunsby

Updated: Sep 16, 2014 Published: Sep 16, 2014

techUK has encouraged politicians and policy-makers to recognise the significance of the “global digital revolution” in a new manifesto published today.

Entitled Securing our Digital Future, the report looks at the role digital technologies will play in the UK over the next five years; outlining what it believes the next government must do to secure the country’s “digital potential”.

Among the suggestions to help “increase productivity and secure a million new jobs”, the tech body is calling on the appointment of a digital minister for every government department including a chief privacy officer and a new FCO digital trade tsar.

Other “action points” for the next government include setting a target to double UK tech exports by 2020, and the introduction of a ‘smart migration’ policy which will allow companies to access talent from across the world.

techUK is also keen for the next government to support free speech as well as data privacy, arguing that there needs to be a “clear” legal framework for government surveillance.

In addition, the manifesto urges the next government to widen its reach from being South East England-centric to deliver “digital for everyone” and to double the growth of digital small and medium businesses across all industries.

techUK CEO, Julian David, said of the manifesto: “Tech and digital have a fundamental role to play in almost everything the next government will need to do, as we continue to rebuild our economy for the 21st century.

“That’s why today techUK is launching its manifesto as a roadmap to 2020. The key message for politicians is that voters and industry alike want the government to secure our digital future.

“The next five years must be about bringing greater scale and pace to the digital transformation of our country. From skills to infrastructure, digital government to digital health, we have to think big and get the job done. Get it right and the action we take over the next five years can secure our digital future for the next 30.”